UNMIK Headlines 3 July
Amnesty law to pardon extortion, politicians to benefit too (Koha Ditore)
The paper reports in the leading story that the amnesty law, which Kosovo’s Parliament is expected to adopt on Thursday, will be beneficial for senior members of central and local governments and their relatives, members of parliament, businessmen, lawyers and citizens who broke the law. The amnesty law will include pardoning extortion. The paper notes that majority of acts that are expected to be amnestied have nothing to do with the disobedience of Serbs of the northern municipalities vis-à-vis the state of Kosovo.
In a separate box within the same article, the paper quotes Ramush Haradinaj, leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), as saying that the amnesty law should include an article saying that all state and institutional officials who were under oath or working as public servants should not benefit from the amnesty law.
Bildt: I have no doubts on Belgrade’s commitment to the agreement (dailies)
All dailies cover yesterday’s visit by Swedish Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Bildt to Pristina. “I am absolutely confident in your commitment to carry out the implementation of the agreement and I also had a very encouraging conversation in Belgrade and I have no doubts they are ready to carry out their part of the implementation,” Bildt was quoted as saying. “I believe it is very important for the whole region, if the region to be able to overcome problems from the past, to talk to each other so that we can really move forward”.
Bildt congratulated Kosovo on its European integration process, saying that the green light for the start of SAA negotiations implies that start of contractual relations between Kosovo and the European Union.
Local elections to take place on 3 November (dailies)
President of Kosovo Atifete Jahjaga announced yesterday her decision on the date for local elections which are set to take place on 3 November. Jahjaga’s office said the date has been set as a result of consultations with political parties and the Central Elections Commission. The official statement does not however make any mention to the date having been set by prime ministers of Kosovo and Serbia at the Brussels dialogue.
The statement issued by Jahjaga stresses the importance of local elections being organized also in the north of the country. Jahjaga said that the inclusion in local elections of citizens of the Serb community and of municipalities in the north will enable election of legal and legitimate leaders.
Serbian proposal on telecom is turned down again (Koha Ditore)
Kosovo’s delegation has turned down the Serbian proposal on the telecom issue, arguing that it falls in contravention with Kosovo’s laws and European standards. “EU representatives presented the latest requests of the Serbian side on the area of mobile telephony, and after reviewing them the Kosovo delegation turned down the requests saying that all possible solutions need to be in line with Kosovo laws and European standards,” a government press release said.
“The agreement on the state telephone code for Kosovo by the ITU marks an important progress in talks on telecom, but in order for the agreement to be reached the Serbian side should give up on requests that are against Kosovo’s laws. Their request for licensing a GSM operator was turned down because this issue requires international tendering,” Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister Edita Tahiri was quoted as saying.
EU countries expect Serbia not to block Kosovo at the UN (Koha Ditore)
Officials from certain EU countries told the paper that although EU High Representative Catherine Ashton and Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fuele are the ones who report about progress on implementation of agreement between Pristina and Belgrade, EU member states have retained the right for a final word on the issue. These officials claimed that the European Commission and Baroness Ashton clearly try to present the situation slightly better than it actually is “but some countries have greater ambitions and want to see more”.
Asked whether Serbia will be asked to enable Kosovo’s membership at the UN, western diplomats said the EU cannot present such a request but this can be done by member states and added that what is important for the EU is that Kosovo and Serbia not obstruct one another on the path to European integrations.
NATO SG Rasmussen to visit Kosovo today (Zëri)
NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen will visit Kosovo today. Rasmussen is scheduled to meet COMKFOR Volker Halbauer and senior representatives of the international community in Kosovo. He will also meet Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi, KSF Minister Agim Çeku and Returns and Communities Minister Dalibor Jevtic.
Vetëvendosje seeks court’s interpretation of the Agreement (Tribuna)
The paper reports that this week the Vetëvendosje Movement will call on the Constitutional Court of Kosovo to interpret the adoption of the Kosovo-Serbia agreement, which was ratified by parliament last Thursday. Vetëvendosje believes the agreement is in opposition with the Constitution of Kosovo. Vetëvendosje MP Albulena Haxhiu said her party would use all legal and institutional means, including the Constitutional Court, to oppose the agreement and the damages deriving from it.
Borchardt: Political interference in war crimes cases to stop (Koha Ditore)
Head of EULEX, Bernd Borchardt, demanded an end be put to political stances in war crimes investigations and cases of corruption in Kosovo. He said political statements obstruct the investigations process. “In addressing war crimes it is important to seek a way to stop political interference and statements which attempt to influence the cases EULEX is investigating”, said Borchardt in a debate organized in Pristina.
Deputy Prime Minister Hajredin Kuçi said there have been political statements in the past and may be in the future as well but he rejected claims that these were made on cases dealing with corruption. “With exception of war crimes, never did a political party come against court decisions”, he said.